🔎

How helpful is a Meat Grinder?

I prefer having a streamlined kitchen with essential tools only. How helpful is having a meat grinder? Is there an alternate tool that I could use? Or should I make my butcher my best friend?

Answer »
Monita_photo

Monita is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 4 months ago

If you own a kitchen aid mixer you can easily get a meat grinder attachment. Otherwise, I'd rely on your butcher unless you are an avid sausage maker

026

pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.

added 4 months ago
Voted the Best Answer!

I'll add to Monita's advice; I have the grinder attachment for the KitchenAid. One serious and practical reason to own one is that you will know that your ground meat comes from one single piece of cow or chicken. Supermarket ground meats can come from literally hundreds of different animals. That's how e-coli poisoning spreads. You will have a safer kitchen by using one. You cut up the meat and do it yourself.

see added 4 months ago

I,too, own the KAid grinder. With all the problems in our food supply I feel it is necessary to insure the quality of the food I eat and serve to my family.

prandial added 4 months ago

Thank you both! Regarding the Kitchen Aid attachment, does it really work? I've seen mixed reviews of Kitchen Aid attachments (such as the pasta roller), so I've been reluctant to go the way of the attachment. Thanks again for your help!

Junepr05
ChefJune added 4 months ago

The meat grinder for the KitchAid really works. I've been grinding my own now for more than 20 years with the same attachment. It's a good investment, takes up little space.

026

pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.

added 4 months ago

I've read some complaints about the pasta attachment but honestly I think the problem is that the people who make those complaints really don't know how to handle pasta dough. It does require a certain level of skill.

Monita_photo

Monita is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 4 months ago

I've found both the Kitchen Aid meat grinder and pasta attachments work very well

Dsc_0028
cookbookchick added 4 months ago

I use the KA meat grinder attachment to grind meat. I cut the meat into oblong pieces that will easily fit in the feeding tube. Works fine! I also have the pasta roller and cutters - I love them! So much easier to have both hands free rather than having to hand-crank. I would recommend using semolina flour for dusting. I use Bob's Red Mill. It seems to make the pasta less sticky and easier to feed through the machine.

Allie S added 4 months ago

You can also easily use a food processer, if you have one. Helps if you cube the meat and freeze it briefly!

Buddhacat
SKK added 4 months ago

Been using my Kitchen Aid meat grinder for over 20 years with no problem. Love it and it works beautifully.

prandial added 4 months ago

Thank you all for your help! The Kitchen Aid is the way to go -- happy cooking!

prandial added 4 months ago

Thank you all for your help! The Kitchen Aid is the way to go -- happy cooking!

Moi_1
QueenSashy added 4 months ago

I too own KA grinder, I love it and use it a lot. But it is not an absolute must for everyone. Before you invest, you should consider how often you cook or use ground meat, and how happy you are with you butcher. I know many good cooks who do not own one and are perfectly happy cooking without it.

The_cook
Gourmet Metrics added 4 months ago

A timely question for me. Been doing my own research and since I don't own a KitchenAid, I have bee looking at stand alone. Models.. Has any one had experience with the Waring Pro Meat Grinder?

Dsc_0034
Daria Faulkner added 4 months ago

I absolutely love my KAid meat grinder and I can't imagine my love without it. I got mine from my mother in law (she got it from her mom), so it's a really old one. the thing is, that attachments you can buy now are made differently (plastic or something) and this is why people complain and say that it doesn't work very well. so if I were you, I would look for the original one on eBay, or similar. it really does make a difference. The other benefit of having it - you can attach a sausage attachment to it. I just made my first sausages last one.

110
bugbitten added 4 months ago

I also have the KitchenAid attachment, which I have used to effect a few times for large batches. I've also gone to the food processor (what a horrid name.) Lately I've come to using my really sharp nine inch chef's knife to both give me the cut of meat I want, plus some upper-body exercise. Results are remarkably similar.

ddecrette added 4 months ago

Love my kitchen Aid grinder. I don't use it often, but it is only small attachments, so it works for me. Especially for awesome burgers. I can pick and choose my meats.

ddecrette added 4 months ago

Love my kitchen Aid grinder. I don't use it often, but it is only small attachments, so it works for me. Especially for awesome burgers. I can pick and choose my meats.

ddecrette added 4 months ago

Love my kitchen Aid grinder. I don't use it often, but it is only small attachments, so it works for me. Especially for awesome burgers. I can pick and choose my meats.

L1020855
CHeeb added 4 months ago

Additional reasons to get the KA grinder ... ground cooked ham makes great ham salad and adds great flavor to meatloaves. Ground cooked chicken and turkey also make great homemade salads with the simple addition of mayo.Veggies can be run through the grinder too. I'll run celery and dill pickles and onions through mine when I want to flavor the ham,chicken and turkey salads . I've even run boiled eggs through for egg salad.Can you tell I'm a fan???

No need to email me as additional
answers are added to this question.

How you eat is how you live.
Let's eat well together.

Sign up for our useful and inspiring emails.
Get a $10 credit at Provisions, our new kitchen-and-home shop, launching soon!

Please enter a valid email address.

Well played.
You deserve a cookie.

We'll email your $10 promo code when we launch.